


Aries Black and the Chamber of Secrets (Pending Extensive Re-write)

by The_MorRioghain



Series: The Adventures of Aries Black [1]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Harry Potter was Raised by Sirius Black, Sirius Black Adopts Harry Potter
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-12-22
Updated: 2018-12-23
Packaged: 2019-09-24 11:40:47
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 3
Words: 10,110
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17099918
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/The_MorRioghain/pseuds/The_MorRioghain
Summary: Harry Potter has grown up in Azkaban under the tender care of Sirius Black and a dozen deranged Death Eaters. What could possibly go wrong? Magical mutation thanks to magic suppressing wards at an early age? Maybe. An early education taught be ex-unspeakable Death Eaters? Definitely! Lots of improbably magical/mundane shenanigans? I guarantee it!





	1. Emerald Eyes

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [The Child of Azkaban](https://archiveofourown.org/works/15068012) by [LonelyHarvest](https://archiveofourown.org/users/LonelyHarvest/pseuds/LonelyHarvest). 



Azkaban Prison was both objectively and subjectively one of the worst places one could find themselves, not just in Wizarding Britain but in all of the Wizarding World. Therefore it was passing strange for four of Wizarding Britain's most influential individuals to be spotted portkeying in on that surprisingly cold summer night. 

 

At the head of this group was none other than Albus Dumbledore himself, not only the Headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry but also the most powerful non-dark wizard since Merlin. Behind him was Cornelius Fudge the Minister of Magic, Madam Bones head of the DMLE(Dept. Of magical law enforcement), and last but not least Alastor Moody who was singlehandedly responsible for filling more than half the cells of Azkaban.

 

“Albus good man this is highly unnecessary there is just no way…” Fudge was saying but ended up being cut off when the ex-ex-auror standing behind him growled low in his throat and snarled “Shut it less I think you're trying to cover this up any more than you already have” while punctuating his words with a poke of the wand he held at Fudge’s back. 

 

“Don’t hex him Alastor,” Reprimanded Madam Bones as the group made their way towards the small, heavily warded office that marked the only location within fifty miles safe from the Dementors influence. After a few more steps though she grimaced and seemed to rethink her harsh tone, after which she added in a more accommodating voice “At least wait to execute him until after the inquest is complete.”

 

“Right you are ma’am” Moody replied happily, one of the few times in his life he had not balked at taking orders or the thought of killing someone. 

 

Fudge turned to form the unhealthy pale he had been ever since that morning to a rather disturbing shade of green at this conversation. 

“You throw up on me and ill consider it an escape attempt,” Moody warned as his mangled lips twisted into a mockery of a smile. 

 

While this conversation unfolded behind him Dumbledore continued towards the administrative office with a single-minded intent he usually his behind twinkling eyes and a genial disposition. But that was the mask of “Friendly-Headmaster” which had been cast aside in favor of the undefeated battlemage that hid beneath.  As if to prove this halfway to their destination shadowy shapes began to descend towards the party, with them came a chill and creeping sensation, with a casual flick of his wand (which seemed to materialize in his outstretched hand) Dumbledore sent a searing white Phonix patronus to blast the dark creatures back. 

 

With power sizzling through the air around him, the group fell silent as they followed Dumbledore into the office. No one accosted the four as they hurried back to the records dest where a young Auror sat leafing through the latest edition of Transfiguration Today. 

 

“You’ll find a superb article on achieving complex dye patterns when transfiguring robes on page thirty-two,” Dumbledore said by way of a greeting, almost managing to sound genial again. 

 

Glancing up from his reading the young Auror blanched: “Mr. Moody!-- M-madam Bones— Minister sir!” he grew more and more flustered as he recognized each face but seemed to lose all ability to articulate when he recognized Dumbledore.

 

“Really Amelia this is what you have guarding Azkaban? You know I lost a leg filling those cells right?” Moody grumbled then turned his ire on the young Auror “You boy get us all the intake files for the past twelve years and be snappy about it!”

 

Taking the order as an opportunity to escape the glowering of his superiors the young Auror almost fell out of his chair as he fled into to stacks of files. When he returned, a record forty-three seconds later he was carrying three wood boxes of files which he set down on the counter before fleeing once more, no doubt to find a bottle of contraband fire-whiskey.

 

“Please let us be wrong” Amelia Bones whispered as she stepped forward and tapped each box with her wand while declaring “Harrison James Potter” with far more confidence than she felt. 

 

With no reaction from the first two boxes the group was beginning to perk up, maybe just maybe the Hogwarts addressing charms were wrong— for the first time in over nine centuries. Unfortunately, the third file box reacted and spit out a thin black file that fell open on the counter.

 

As a group the four took a deep breath and crowded forward to read the file’s contents, the first page proved it:

 

* * *

**Aries Orion Black a.k.a Harrison James Potter**

**Age: 12**

**Date of Incarceration: 31 July 1983**

**Convicted of: Redacted**

**Sentence: Life**

**Last Appeal: Not filed**

**Location: Cell 7, The Tower**

* * *

  
  


“Well, that's certainly a fly in the cauldron” Moody grumbled, “Someone filed that— and made sure he was logged as a lifer.” As he said this Mad-eye began digging his wand into the side of Fudge’s neck. 

 

“I had no idea!” The Minister protested, trying to and failing to lead away from the wand tip.

 

“It's your job to review  _ every  _ inmate’s file  _ every  _ year!” Roared Dumbledore suddenly turning on the Minister and brandishing an envelope addressed in green ink “And if not for this no one would have had any idea because of you!”

 

“Dumbledore please I—” Fudge trailed off as he found himself staring down the business end of Dumbledore’s wand, he’d never before noticed how menacing that particular implement looked.

 

“You will not say another word Minister” Ordered the ancient warlock before spinning on his heel and sweeping out of the room and building, heading straight for the northmost building on the island. 

 

**‘** The Tower’ as it was named, was the highest security wing of Azkaban Prison where the most revolting and evil beings were held along with anyone convicted of being a Death Eater… and apparently orphan children as well.

 

Once again Dumbledore drove the dementors off with a nonverbal patronus charm, though this time he drove them not just away from his small group but entirely off the island. It was a relatively petty show of power, the type Grindelwald had been fond of, but Dumbledore was so angry with Fudge, with the Ministry, with himself and he knew that if he didn’t let some of it off he just might follow through on his threat and curse Fudge into oblivion.

 

All thoughts of anger, of Fudge, of anything, really evaporated into the either as Dumbledore blasted apart the still lowered tower protocols with an overpowered  Reductor Curse and stormed inside. The sight that greeted them turned even Mad-eyes seasoned stomach. 

 

The Tower was hollow in the center with cells set into the walls along a spiral staircase that wound all the way up to the open top. In the center courtyard, a mecharb tree formed somehow from the iron bars from the first level of cells. Hanging from three of the branches were the three corpses in varying stages of decay, held aloft by the iron branches impaled through their at odd angles.

 

The downright ghoulish modern art sculpture would have been enough to give even Dumbledore second thoughts, but that was just the beginning. An odd melody echoed through the tower, clearly produced by a wind instrument of some variety, the toon was haunting and beautiful and terrible all at the same time. 

 

As the Dumbledore lead the group to the stairs and began to climb past the first few cells he was surprised to find the unbarred rooms still occupied by the Death Eaters assigned to them. Though they all seemed entranced by the music, sitting on their cots eyes shut and swaying back and forth in time with the melody. What really disturbed Moody about the sight were the tears running down all their cheeks, he knew these people well having lived in their heads while hunting them, they weren’t the type to cry. Well unless it was from laughter while torturing some poor soul. 

 

With every step towards Cell No. 7, the music grew louder and louder until they stood just shy of being able to see into the cell. With a deep breath, Dumbledore squared his shoulders and stepped forward. 

 

Unnatural darkness filled the cell which was one of the few that still had bars— although the door was nowhere to be seen— so Dumbledore could only just make out a pale shape sitting on the cot.

 

Dreading what he would see Dumbledore drew out his wand and muttered  _ “Lumos”.  _ The wand-light sprang into existence and instantly cast the interior of the cell in white color leeching light. Revealing a young boy sitting crossed legged on the cot, back resting against a huge mass of black fur.

  
The boy’s face was as pale as snow and framed in long black hair, his lips were drawn and pale, his eyes seemed like sharp emeralds flashing by a pair of square wire-framed spectacles. Long skeletal fingers wrapped around an odd flute which he held to his unnaturally pale lips as he wove the strange tune that seemed to have the other inmates so entranced. 

 

Suddenly there was a man sitting behind the boy, his hair shorter but still long, his face was gaunt but still strikingly attractive, and his teeth were bared in a feral snarl and he growled out “Nine bloody years it took you bastards NINE YEARS!”

 

Moody instinctually drew his wand and began to bark “ _ Stup—”  _ but his encantation cut short when he was blown back off the stairs and his wand flew forward to land in the man’s hand. 

 

Moody fell two meters to the courtyard below but was otherwise unharmed while Madam Bones pointed her wand at the now armed inmate, as for Dumbledore he was focused on the boy who had lowered the flute and cocked his head to the side.

 

Amelia was about to order the inmate to hand over the wand when he preempted her and tossed it after Moody who went into maximum paranoia as he saw his wand tumbling through the air towards him. 

 

“That was terribly rude of my comrade Mr…?” Dumbledore offered but trailed off as he failed to place the man’s name. 

 

Grinning sardonically at his old headmaster the man settled back down behind his godson and replied “Don’t you recognize me? It’s me, Sirius Black.”

 

Just then Moody came charging back into view and the boy stiffened, setting the flute down, and began raising a hand. “Be still Pup,” Sirius said quickly, wrapping protective arms around the boy “Ol’ Mad-eye won't hut ya— he never did have the stomach for really nasty work.”

 

Looking up at the only father he had ever known the boy noticed Padfoot was still glowering angrily at the new people. From what was said and what he could see he knew the limping man was Alastor Moody or “He-Who-We-Must-Run-From” as everyone called him. The other man who seemed to know what he was doing had to be Albus Dumbledore who had been described to him so many times in such detail he felt he already knew the man.  

 

“Sirius I— well I had no idea until Harry never showed up for school— due to unfortunate circumstances I couldn’t leave Hogwarts until the school year ended and that’s when I found he was no longer with the Dursleys,” Dumbledore explained truthfully, feeling like an old fool for not checking on his most powerful weapon against Voldemort sooner.

 

“But—” Amelia broke in looking from the boy (who was still sitting serenely while starking at them with a calculating eye) “How?”

 

Now Sirius grinned with what could only be called insane glee and seemed to be forcing a giggle back as he replied: “Lily of course— she was the first witch to achieve a charms mastery by the age of fifteen you know— she made it sure Harry would only go to worth guardians— its all in the Potter’s will.”

 

“But that would mean…” Dumbledore trailed off as he realized the full implications of that sort of magic.

 

“Yeah she really was a powerful witch— imagine a little three-year-old appearing in my bunk in the middle of the night with a broken arm.” Sirius was getting angry again “I expected someone to show up right away but no it took you idiot nine years to figure it out.”

 

Dumbledore opened his mouth to apologize again when a body rushed by and skidded to a halt beside the cot. All four were shocked to see Bellatrix Lestrange of all people putting herself between the boy and them. 

 

“It’s okay Aunty Bella” the voice made everyone freeze mid-thought and sent a chill down the visitor’s spines. 

 

Like the melody, he had been playing the boy’s voice was utterly unnatural and surreal. Low like a whisper but echoing with a strange hissing rasp and yet somehow also ethereal, bringing to mind silk billowing in the wind.  

 

“But they're here to take you away,” Bellatrix all but whined and actually stamped her foot.

 

“Enough of that” Sirius snapped “Don’t go teaching Aries any bad habits.”

 

“What is going on here— and who in Merlin’s name is Aries” Moody snapped, getting tired of Death Eaters not acting like the evil bastards they were. 

 

It was Aries himself that answered as he pushed himself off the bed and stepped forward passed Bellatrix with a pronounced limp to match Mad-eye’s “Padfoot had to give me a proper name for the Blood Adoption to work— if we're going we should leave before the other’s wake up all the way— they're not all as nice as Aunty Bella and Padfoot.”

 

As Aries spoke Dumbledore noticed the angry murmuring that was growing louder and louder form every cell as the other Death Eater inmates began breaking free from what he now realized was truly magical music. 

 

With that Sirius stepped forward and scooped Aries up in his arms and moved to exit the cell. Moody was about to stop him when Dumbledore forced his wand hand down and whispered: “If Sirius was guilty of a crime Lily’s spell wouldn’t have given Harry to him— he’s innocent.” 

 

In all honesty, Dumbledore had absolutely no idea what spell Lily might have used to bind Harry or ‘Aries’ to his magical guardian or what its parameters might be. He was legally the boy’s guardian after all, at least in the Ministry’s records. The issue was that the Goblins had sealed the Potter vaults and will as soon as they died, and Lady Magic seemed to side with their paperwork over the Ministry’s for some reason so there was a good chance Sirius was still listed as Harry’s guardian in Gringotts’ records. 

 

Adding to that complication was the fact that Lily was an extremely gifted Spellcraft and Charms Mistress. In addition to that, she had a fiendishly efficient approach to magic so there was no telling what might happen if they attempted to someone who tried to separate the child and guardian against their will. 

 

“But he was the Potter’s secret keeper” Moody snapped back, still trying to raise his wand.

 

“They must have changed it” Dumbledore replied, realized how close he was to being discovered by one of the few duelists who might have a chance of taking him down. The last thing he needed was anyone figuring out he knew Sirius hadn’t been the Secret Keeper. “ _ Of all the plans of mice and men,”  _  He thought grimly. 

 

“So a boy and an innocent man in Azkaban— the public will have our heads for this” Madam Bones lamented as she started after Sirius who was already halfway to the exit. 

 

No one replied to her, but Fudge was eyeing the piercing tree as if he’d rather be up there than deal with the greater wizarding community when news of this debacle, and miscarriage of justice, came out. As the group— now of six— exited the tower Dumbledore turned and conjured a new portcullis from the remnants that were all that remained of the one he had demolished.  Where before he had been bounding along filled with anger now the ancient warlock moved with the careful dignity of his old age. All is planes seemed to be coming undone thanks to the machinations of a long dead muggle-born… it boggled the mind. 

* * *

 

It was an odd group that Portkeyed to the emergency center at  _ “St Mungo's Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries”  _ oddly enough it was lead by a ragged man in the striped uniform of Azkaban Prison. By no means should such a man be leading Albus bloody Dumbledore, the Minister of Magic, and the well known to St. Mungo’s Alastor Moody.

 

However, not one single healer really noticed the wizards following once they registered the emaciated child-sized figure also dressed as an Azkaban inmate clutched in the adult prisoner’s arms. Long years of education and training kicked in, resulting in a wave of healers surging forward to surround the pair. Sirius let Aries go as they were carried/guided to adjacent beds while dozens of diagnostic spells washed over them. 

 

Even Dumbledore found himself pushed away as he attempted to move closer to the boy, powerful wards keeping unauthorized personnel away from patients. “Don’t worry Albus— no one, not even you could escape those healers,” Moody growled in a knowing tone. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, there's chapter 1, I hope you enjoyed. Also yes there will be romance but much later (when age appropriate), pairings will be tagged as I decide on them.


	2. The Wand Chooses the Wizard

 

Healer Thorn looked nothing like her name would have you believe, in fact, she was known to be soft-spoken and accommodating to a fault. As such she normally did not work with children as she had found her constitution not up to denying them their every damned request even when it was not a good idea for them. Unfortunately, as the only Long Term Spell Damage healer on duty who was also licensed as an emergency healer, she didn’t really have the choice to not take the boy as her patient.

 

Oh, and what a patient he was, the best patient she’d ever treated in the Emergency Damage ward actually. He just laid there looking around in a mix of apprehension and awe as Healers and Nurses mulled around the ward. In fact, Thorn would have said he was the perfect patient— she would have if not for his eyes. They were so cold and hard really like emeralds as he stared at her, taking in every move, her every twitch and breath.  

 

It was just not natural.

 

Not that ‘natrual’ or ‘normal’ could ever be reasonably applied to the boy, he’d grown up in bloody Azkaban after all.

 

Steeling herself Thorn approached the boy’s bedside and let her warm smile loose while greeting him: “Hi there my name is Healer Thorn I’ve been assigned to you, for now, how do you feel Harry?” _Harry bloody Potter I can’t believe I’m treating Harry Potter— I can't believe Harry Potter was in Azkaban and no one noticed!_

 

“I feel normal but my name is not Harry it’s Aries— Aries Black,” Aries said with a smile as he held out a hand to shake. _See Padfoot I listen to you… sometimes._

 

“Oh!” Healer Thorn let out, surprised both by Aries’ words and voice. And she wasn’t the only one, everyone within earshot froze upon hearing that voice, thought the hissing undertone was foreign to them they all recognized the hoarse whisper of someone who had screamed so hard for so long they’d torn their vocal cords. It was one of the more common results from extended exposure to the cruciatus curse.

 

“Well, then it's nice to meet you Aries— if you could lay back so I can examine your vocal cords please,” Thorn asked while pressing firmly on Aries’ far too thin shoulder.

 

Once the boy was laying back she cast several diagnostic spells on his throat and chest, then his body as a whole. She’d of course been told of the damage by the healers who saw him first, but seeing is believing and by Merlin, it was a wonder he wasn’t dead or a raving lunatic.

 

The scarring to the boy’s vocal cords was severe, and probably permanent since the damage had occurred while under the influence of a curse. But that was only the start, on top of that there was so much nerve damage, Thorn guessed Aries had thirty percent feeling at most through his entire body, less in his chest. On top of that was severe skeletal and soft tissue trauma both old and recent, and one of the most extreme cases of malnutrition she’d ever seen. And that wasn’t even taking into account trauma that had healed.

 

Now that she was closer to him Thorn could see the scars that showed up past the neck of his hospital gown and wound down his bare arms. Both angry red and hard white lines crisscrossing skin that had never seen the sun. She could identify those from cold burns probably caused by chains and manacles but had no idea, and didn't want one, about the rest.

 

“Well I’m sorry to say we probably can’t do much about your voice Aries— but I’ll order Dittany potions that will help with scarring and any current injuries you have along with a suite of nutrition and supplement potions that will help you gain some body mass and strengthen your bones.” Thorn ticked off each item as she wrote it down before tapping the parchment with her wand to send it flying off to the potions lab.

 

“Now Aries” Thorn began as she perched on the edge of his bed and impulsively wrapped her hand around his (it was shocking to her just how thin the appendage was) “I’d like to— if you think it would help— also prescribe you a portion of Dreamless Sleep to take with the others as it can be quite painful to go through the growth and healing you will be doing.”

 

“Oh no,” Aries said with a faint knowing smile “I don’t think I’ll need that— besides I quite like my dreams.” The boy had a way of speaking that made him sound ancient, innocent, kind, and cold all at once with just a hint of insanity thrown in thanks to that strange hissing undertone that accompanied his every word. “Although—” he paused as if second guessing himself before continuing “It would be nice if you could have a Gringotts curse breaker come take a look at this—” he tapped the lightning bolt scar on his brow “scar.”

 

Several identification and diagnostic charms later Healer Thorn had sent an emergency owl to Gringotts requesting senior Curse Breaker post haste.

The being who arrived in response was not what anyone expected, instead of a short, snarling, and snarky goblin a tall man with flaming red hair and a youthful exuberance came bounding out of the floo. He was dressed for a much warmer climate, and left a trail of sand from everywhere he went thanks to how much of the material was packed into the souls of his dragonhide boots.

 

Although the curse breaker came billowing into the room in a could of youthful ‘lets get this done’ he tripped over himself when he caught sight of Aries, thankfully though he had the good tact to pull himself together by turning the trip into an impromptu bow and then proceeded to introduce himself: “Bill Weasley— Gringotts Curse Breaker at your service what am I— ah…” he trailed off mid-sentence as his eyes locked onto the lightning bolt scar on Aries’ forehead.

 

After that, he was all business and refused to let anything including Healer Thorn and Aires to get a word in edgewise as he proceeded to lecture them both about the “dangers of soul magic” and that they shouldn’t go “mucking about with soul traps”.

 

Throughout his amusing, and surprisingly educational, tirade Bill Weasley was examining Aries’ scar with first his wand, then a dizzying array of whirring or buzzing implements which he somehow produced from within the folds of his ‘billowing’ linen robes. The insanity though seemed to be worth it as after nearly two hours, and a surprising amount of muttered profanity, later he declared “Got it!” and produced a small wooden figurine of a vaguely humanoid shape.

 

“Alright Aries,” He said, looking directly into his emerald eyes “you’ve got a fragment of someone's soul in that scar now normally that would be that as souls are tenacious and tough to exercise— but since your so young the thing is weak enough for me to pull it out of you and slap it in this container” he indicated the figurine with a jerk of his hand.

 

“Only thing is Aries” he continued “it’s gonna be damn painful and you need to be awake in so the healers know you're doing alright.”

 

Aries’ smooth brow furrowed into a scowl as he considered Weasley’s words, after a moment he asked the most relevant question he could come up with “What will you do with it then?”

 

“Well seeing as it’s technically _your’s_ when you take possession of it— or you can have Gringotts dispose of it for you” As he said this Weasley’s own brow furrowed; he really didn’t want to leave a piece of someone's soul in the hands of a child, but the law was the law and something told him crossing this particular boy with the Boy-Who-Lived’s scar but not the Boy-Who-Lived’s name was not a good idea. It was something in the way he held himself and spoke that reminded Bill of Goblin Warchiefs, dangerous and very well versed in taking and causing pain.

 

“Very well please proceed— and I think I’ll hang on to it once you’ve extracted it” Aries finally decided after an uncomfortably long pause. _Sorry to see you go Tom but I think its time I had my brain to myself again._

 

_Damn you Black— you’ll regret this you little shite._

 

 _Oh get off it Tom we both know the rest of your parts are as helpless as you are, and I’ll get to the rest of them once I graduate so_ **_time to move out._ **

 

With that Weasly began the ritual. As far as Curse Breaker rituals went it was rather brief lasting only five or so minutes as the redhead used a paintbrush and small vial of something that looks a lot like blood to paint small runes around and on the scar in question and across the wood figurine.  

 

The incantation that followed was spoken too fast for anyone to catch and was accompanied by an odd hum that blocked even the keenest ear from discerning the words. As he finished Aries felt a strong tug that gave way with an echoing crack as the soul-shard was dragged free from his spirit and imprisoned in the figurine. The moment this happened Bill pulled a fine chain made up of alternating silver and gold links that he wrapped around the figurine then he sealed the ends together and to the wood with a dollop of red wax. As the wax dried he pressed the ring on his right middle finger into it, leaving behind the impression of a complex rune.

  
“There we go” Weasley sighed out, releasing the pent-up breath he’d been holding as the sealed the soul “As long as you don’t break the sea or remove the chain that soul isn’t going anywhere.”

 

“You have my thanks Mr. Weasley” Aries replied as he extended a hand for Bill to shake “Please see the Potter Trust vault for payment.”

 

“Very good Mr.?”

 

“Aries Potter-Black”

 

Without another word Bill Weasley placed the figurine in Aries’ hand and made improperly fast tracks out of the room, he was clearly disturbed by the whole business and wanted nothing more to do with the odd child who bore an uncanny resemblance to a banshee.

 

 _Well, he was a strange one._ Aries thought, and for once no one answered. _Huh… neat._

 

* * *

 

Over the next week, Aries fell into a routine that if not comfortable was an approximation of relaxing. Every morning he’d wake up in an impossibly soft bed stiff and sore from the previous night’s growth and nutrition potions. His hair was growing faster than normal along with his fingernails so he’d spend a few minutes with a nail kit before spending a half hour in nirvana as he took full advantage of his room’s attached bathroom which included a clawfoot bathtub. Is there anything better than a hot bath?

 

After his morning ablutions, Aries would go for a walk, and though he couldn’t leave the fourth floor he still enjoyed the first new landscape he’d ever known. It didn’t take him long to discover Sirius’ room. After a brief investigation and questioning under Veritaserum, Madam Bones had discovered that Sirius was indeed innocent and turned him over to the St. Mungo's staff for treatment. Fortunately, the Marauder was in much better shape than his god/adopted son and was healing quickly.

 

So Aries would spend most of the day with Padfoot discussing plans for the long-term and the near future. It didn’t take Sirius long to convince Aries that he really did need to attend Hogwarts, after that they focused on plans to get him ready for the school year.

 

After a short day with Sirius, Aries would return to his room and find Healer Thorn awaiting him with a tray of potions. The pain would start as soon as he drank them as his body was forced to grow muscle, stretch tendons, replace nerves, and strengthen bone.

 

By the time he and Sirius were released Aries stood two inches over five feet tall and weighed a shade under four kilograms, a far reach form the skin and bones wraith he had been upon arrival. His hair was also so long he’d been forced to cut it so that it didn’t drag on the floor, though he refused to cut it in the short fashion favored by most wizards electing to instead wear it in a waist-length braid.

 

The first thing the pair did upon release was head straight for Gringotts. As they walked through the doors Aries stiffened as he felt the magic suppressing wards pass over him. The feeling was both comforting and disturbing as on one hand he’d grown up with that feeling but on the other, he’d recently begun to reveal in his full magical power.

 

The pair didn’t have to wait long for a distinguished looking goblin to appear in front of them and introduce himself with a shallow bow “I am Griphook the account manager for the Potter and Black vaults how may we at Gringotts assist you today?”

 

Sirius returned the bow as did Aries before the elder Black replied: “We request a blood test so that Aries here may attempt to take possession of the House Potter Lordship ring and the House Black heir ring then we require access to the Black family vault.”

 

“Very good— this way please” Griphook replied before leading the pair into a back office.

 

Once the three were seated in Griphook’s office the goblin produced a stone plate and set it in front of Aries along with a rune carved knife “The test requires at minimum seven drops of blood Mr. Black.”

 

Griphook spoke with the customary goblin sneer, expecting Sirius to use the usual spell to simply summon the required blood out of Aries instantly and painlessly. So he got a shock when the young human reached for the blade and picked it up. Then he was downright shocked when he, without hesitation, slashed open the palm of his left hand and allowed more than enough blood to splatter across the plater.

 

Griphook’s shock remained but he found himself operating by muscle memory, the small human had acted in accordance with Goblin custom so Giphook did the same and produced a bandage for the wound and cloth for the blade. Aries and Griphook traded, knife for bandage then sat in silence as Aries wrapped the gash and Griphook cleaned the knife. As the finished the Goblin eyed the boy “You are an unusual wizard, Mr. Black.”

 

“Thank you Griphook” Aries replied instinctively,  then remembering Augustus’ endless lectures on Gobin and Dwarvish antiquity he stood and bowed again “And thank you for the use of your blade.”

 

Goblins as a species are hard to startle, and as a warrior race, they barely react when startled, as such Griphook was _not_ startled by the small human. He was taken aback though, so it took him longer than was polite to offer the traditional response “Better it be used than sheathed.”

 

Thankfully for Griphook’s nerves, it was at that moment two rolls of parchment appeared on the stone plater, replacing the blood splatter. Sirius stood and unrolled the first on the desk for all three to read:

* * *

**Harrison James Potter now known as Aries Orion Black is the last male heir and rightful lord of the Ancient and Most Nobel House Potter.**

 

**By this status he is guaranteed:**

 

  * ****Soul ownership and access to all vaults belonging to the Potter estate: Vault 687 (Harry James Potter Trust vault), Vault 97 (Potter Family Coin Vault), and Vault 96 (Potter Family Legacy Vault).****


  * **Soul ownership of all Potter lands, properties, and businesses: Potter Manor, a Wizarding Cottage at Godric's Hollow, Zonko’s Joke Shop (silent investor),  Sleekeazy’s Hair Products Inc.**


  * **Soul ownership of all other sundry possessions of the Potter estate.**


  * **Title of and all rights indicated by “Lord Potter”**



 

* * *

  


“As expected as expected,” Griphook said absentmindedly as he conjured the Potter Lordship ring and placed it in front of Aries “Once you put this on you assume the Potter Lordship— and all the responsibilities that intake though you may choose to defer them until you come of age.”

 

When Aries turned to Sirius with the question plane for him to see Sirius answered: “As I remember the Potter estate was owed more than it owed and I assume Gringotts has already settled those debts in the Potter name…” Griphook nodded to this “So that leaves the management of the properties, control of the family magic, and the Wizengamot seat and vots— if I remember correctly the Potter seat holds three votes currently.”

 

Nodding in understanding— (as he and Sirius had discussed the potential for this outcome at length)— Aries reached out and took the ring, slipping it onto his ring finger. Instantly he felt the ring accept him and the Potter magic stir for the first time in a decade. Several interesting things demanded his attention then; first and foremost there were a dozen house elves bound to the Potter estate and every one of them were so bored out of their skulls they’d taken to helping around Hogwarts just for something to do. Next was the guardian of Potter Manor…

 

“Of course” Aries groaned as he shook his head in disbelief, then seeing Griphook and Sirius’ questioning looks explained “The guardian of Potter Manor— it a dragon.”

 

There was simply no way to politely answer that statement so instead, Griphook just let himself react as he wanted to and let out a cackle “Oh I am so glad to be your account manager Lord Potter— you are interesting!”

 

Aries decided he wanted goblins to find him boring, very boring, in future.

 

“It’s enchanted to stay asleep until I visit it that helps” Aries offered, seeing just how dismayed Sirius was.

 

“That helps— a bit” Then his dismay morphed into a grin of unholy glee that made even Griphook nervous “Oh Merlin’s beard pup this is perfect— just imagine a dragon hiding right in the middle of Britan!”

 

“Well moving on,” Griphook said before the internationally infamous prankster could get any ideas and reached for the second parchment which he unrolled and placed over the first.

* * *

**Aries Orion Black by Birth, by Blood, and by Adoption is the following:**

 

  * ****Heir Primus to The Ancient and Most Noble House Black****


  * **To inherit upon the death or abdication of Sirius Orion Black.**


  * **Heir Primus to The Ancient House Lestrange**


  * **To inherit when willing due to Bellatrix Lestrange’s abdication**


  * **Heir Primus of the Slytherin Bloodline**


  * **To inherit when willing due to the death of James Potter**


  * **Heir Primus of the Ravenclaw Bloodline**


  * **To inherit when willing due to the death of Lily J. Potter**



 

* * *

 

Over the next hour, Aries became very, very glad magical house/family rings could be made intangible and invisible at the will of the wearer otherwise he would have looked, and felt, like the gaudiest twelve-year-old to have every lived thanks to the four ornate signate rings now weighing down his left hand. That was the only thing he couldn’t will away, and every time he tried they grew heavier just for a moment as if reprimanding him. He supposed the point was so that he never forgot the responsibility he bore as the head of the families.

 

“Of course you realize you're going to at minimum have to have to kids now right pup?” Sirius asked amusedly as soon as Aries slipped the fourth rig on.

 

“Wait, what?!” Aries yelped.

 

“Well, a son for the Potter and Black titles as they can only pass to a male heir and a daughter for the Lestrange title as they pass to the female— no idea why you got them— I mean I’m pretty sure you're not part skirt.”

 

“I think I can answer that” Griphook spoke up, unwilling to let the small human who had been so polite be insulted for very long “Ocasionally— very rarely I might add— Lady Magic will make acceptions for notable individuals or to save a family so I must ask Lord Black desist insulting… Lord Aries.” He had for a moment considered naming all of the little one’s titles but decided he didn’t have the patience and addressed him as he would a goblin who didn’t use surnames.

 

This gave the goblin an idea. As a young goblin, Griphook had been quite prominent having inherited two very prosperous portfolios from his teacher, sadly when those estates went dormant for a decade his standing in the clan had fallen quite a bit. But perhaps if he succeeded in doing something no goblin had achieved in centuries he might be able to restore his reputation and then some. It was a slim chance and would be an absurd coincidence if it worked out— but Lady Magic had already shown her favor for the boy...

 

“Excuse me Lord Aries but I would like to extend an offer to you,” Griphook said, dragging both wizards full attention.

 

“The first Goblin Wizard treaty was signed in 997 after a bloody war that demolished both populations— one of the clauses was the system by which each race could train a handful of the other’s in their customs and ways in order to train ambassadors and promote understanding— the positions in the Goblin Nation have gone unfilled since 1100  and I would like to offer you one.”

 

Aries knew there was no way he could refuse, not only would it be terribly office but all his and Sirius’ money was in the Goblin’s care and although they couldn’t deny them access to it they could make it very hard and/or uncomfortable for the wizards. And on top of that, it could be damn interesting to learn goblin customs.

 

While growing up Aries had found a deep love for knowledge, his various teachers had insisted he learned to read and figure early on and somehow managed to get him all sorts of books. As a result, he knew a lot more about history, magical theory, magical creatures, Arithmancy, runes, and many other things than most of his contemporaries. His lead touter had been an Unspeakable for Merlin's sake! So no, there was just no way Aries could say no.

 

The boy sat still for so long Griphook feared he might have offended or frightened him somehow but then he stood and bowed low “I would be honored to accept— though I must warn you Griphook there are many demands on my time and I must prepare for the coming year.”

 

Griphook grinned, baring his teeth in the goblin way of showing respect “Worry not Lord Aries we goblins have our ways of making time work in our favor.”

 

The next half hour was spent negotiating a schedule then Griphook led them to the Black vaults. First, they retrieved a sizeable amount of gold from the coin vault then entered the legacy vault. Unlike the coin-vault which was a simple stone room, the legacy vault was more like a library with wood paneling on the floor and walls and shelves and shelves of books, artifacts, and memorabilia labeled by date.

 

“Here,” Sirius said, pointing to a rack of thin boxes “Find two that like you.”

 

Stepping forward Aries began running his hand along the rack, pausing every so often at one box to open it and place a finger on or pick up the wand inside. He continued this way going from wand to wand and growing more and more impatient until he got halfway through the rack.

 

Aries knew this one would be different as he reached for a dust-laden box and picked it up. When he opened it Aries found a dark wand longer and thinner than average and made of a dark wood polished until it gleamed, as he picked it up it sparked and a wave of warmth washed over him like walking out of the shadows and into the sun on a spring afternoon.

 

“Good,” Sirius said the smile clear in his voice as he took the box the wand had been in and studied the inside of the lid “Ah I should have known— Aries, you must never tell anyone but your most trusted allies what your wand is this particular core has been illegal in Britain since the 1700’s— you remember that I told you our family has an affinity for dark magic?”

 

Sighing internally at his foster-father’s pension for dramatics Aries nodded in reply.

 

“Good,” Sirius said with a grin because Aries didn’t dispute his use of ‘our family’ and continued “Well this wand was made for a member of the family in 1296 it is ebony and not to be taken lightly— it has a dual-core— Acromantula Web and Chimera Scale.”

 

Sirius let this information sink in before continuing “Acromantula web wands were outlawed because they make casting and maintaining the Impirius curse easier while the Chimera scale is so rare that it is an unknown except for heirloom wands such as this— this wand is powerful in the dark arts— it was made for a warrior Aries.”

 

It didn’t escape Aries how Sirius mentioned his name in the same sentence as describing his wands purpose. His adoption into the Black family was turning him into a warrior.

 

“So I’ve got a crazy dangerous wand to go with my crazy dangerous life?” he finally asked after a moment of silence.

  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yes, I'm sticking with renaming Harry, why? because I DESPISE reading and writing that horrid name. I mean "Harry" honestly why!?!?!?!?  
> Yes, Aries is very well spoken, this is because he grew up around adults and that's the only way he knows how.  
> Yes, Aries is in remarkably good mental health, this is because its an HP fanfiction and I can literally say "because magic" and it's canonically correct.  
> Why did I give Aries a fancy special wand? For future plot reasons that's why.  
> Why is did Griphook offer to teach Aries goblin stuff? Because Griphook wants to mess with the wizarding world by turning their 'chosen one' into a goblin warrior.


	3. New Friends

By the time the Lord and Heir Primus Black stepped back into the sunlight from the magically lit hallways and caverns of Gringotts, the morning was gone and the afternoon was quickly reaching mid-life.

Their next destination and most important order of business: new robes at Madam Malkin’s Robes for All Occasions. Because while St. Mungo’s had furnished them with basic old fashioned black robes Sirius insisted that they were “Ugly as sin and decades out of date.”

So Aries first practice lesson out of Azkaban was the basics of fashion as taught by a has-been playboy and Madam Malkin herself (who just happened to be one of the lead designers in Wizarding Britain).

During this lesson, he learned on piece closed front robes had gone out of style in 1910. Currently, the popular style for men was muggle trousers, shirt, and waistcoat with a seasonally appropriate over robe left open in the front. Loafers or trainers were advised for footwear but Aries agreed with Sirius and instead selected a pair of knee-high Dragonhide boots appropriate for all occasions.

The oddity was bordering on absurdity for Aries as they stepped back out into Diagon Alley garbed in their new robes. Just weeks before the only world he’d ever known was the grey stone walls of Azkaban, since then the change in his surroundings had only continued to escalate in magic and strangeness. Color and sound were everywhere, filling every centimeter of the world to the point he felt like he was swimming in it.

Sirius seemed to have reoriented remarkably well to being back in the world, but Aries knew this was mostly due to how long he’d spent as Padfoot. As for himself, Aries knew he’d put on a good show for the healers but he could feel his occlumency shields weakening by the hour. He really wasn’t looking forward to the wave that would sweep over his mind when they fell.

Sirius had, of course, noticed this, he’d raised the pup and knew when he was shutting out his emotions even if he’d gotten better at hiding it. He had to admit Rookwood had been as good as his word and taught Aries well, his pup was a deft hand at the mental magicks thanks to the ex-unspeakable tutelage. However even the most accomplished occlumens had to let their shields down at some point, and let the emotions in.

Aries felt it when Sirius decided everything else could wait, so instead of continuing on as they had planned the pair retired to the Leaky Cauldron where they had taken adjoining rooms. The moment they closed the door Sirius began throwing up layer after layer of wards muttering the spells under his breath and coaxing the magic into place with graceful waves of his wand.

The boy wasn’t paying attention to this though as he headed straight for his bed. He still wasn’t used to how soft pillows and mattresses were so he curled up in the center of the bed and pulled the covers over his head as he braced himself for what came next as let his occlumency shields fall.

Turns out, there is no bracing for that kind of emotional wildfire. All his time in Azkaban Aries had never experienced even half of what he was feeling now, and all at once. The anger, hate, and rage were all familiar having felt those his whole life, though instead of being directed at his tormentors it was directed at the world in general for being deprived of his childhood. He’d known some happiness mostly thanks to Padfoot, later thanks to Aunty Bella and Augustus who in the past years had taken it upon themselves to teach him everything they could manage without wands. Now though he knew true contentment which led to a kind of happiness he hadn't even imagined, joy even.

These were just the beginning of everything Aries felt washing over him. The confusion over his inheritances was the most reasonable thing he felt so he tried to focus in on that and analyze it but there was just so much. He felt his body shaking as tears ran down his cheeks, he was too young, too weak, and it was all too much. He just wanted to go back to the world he understood, he didn’t even care about the pain that would entail, this new life was just so much of everything.

* * *

Sitting on the edge of Aries’ bed Sirius eyed the lump that was all he could see of his adopted son. The pup was shaking and sobbing like he had the first few times Sirius had been overpowered and the other inmates were able to get to the boy. They’d taken their revenge on the child who had cost them their master. Aries still bore those scars, they were, in fact, some of his worst.

Knowing it would be a bad idea to touch the pup in his current state, his ‘accidental’ magic tended to happen whenever he was upset and got startled and the effects tended to trend towards to extreme mutilation over harmless apparition or charms that most children produced. So Sirius resigned himself to a long night’s vigil and conjured a comfortable lazy boy.

* * *

 

When he awoke the next morning Aries felt worn and physically exhausted, even so, he felt that some great burden had lifted and he could once again face his emotions without them crushing his soul. There was a long road ahead he knew, and his integration into the wizarding world would be interesting, to say the least seeing as he was far from an average twelve-year-old but now he felt there was at least hope. He cringed as he thought about how stupid he had been to initially deal with the emotions regarding his liberation with occlumency.

That was one of the first lessons Augustus had taught him, “You can't fix problems with occlumency it only makes them worse” had been one of his most confusing and frequent lectures. Now at least Aries understood the gist of it; basically, denial was bad, very very bad for mental health.

Sighing as he realized just how many more hard lessons he’d have to learn Aries pulled the covers off and couldn’t help but chuckle. As some point in the night, Sirius had turned into Padfoot after falling asleep in a large chair, he knew it was instinct for Padfoot but the animagus’ current haphazard pose was just ridiculous enough to send even the soberest twelve-year-old into fits of giggles. This, of course, roused Sirius who turned back quickly and turning red busied himself with a few cleaning charms before the pair went down for breakfast.

* * *

 

The next few days went by in a blur for Aries, a wonderful blur of hearty meals and exploring the magical world through the wonderful shops that lined Diagon Alley. He still felt absurd to be spending so much time shopping, but Sirius seemed to enjoy buying things whether they were of use or not so he did his best to embrace it and indulge himself. 

Most of what he let Sirius enthusiastically purchase him were items that he thought might serve some purpose. One of the best was a satchel (dragonhide of course) that had an “Undetectable Extension Charm” that he discovered— much to Sirius’ chagrin—  would let him carry around as many books as he wanted, which were a great many thanks to over a dozen trips to “Flourish and Blotts”.

Aries also spent a good few hours in “Wiseacre’s Wizarding Equipment” where they purchased a copy of the Mappa Mundi which according to Sirius was the most reliable auto-updating map in “past present or future” production.  They also purchased him all the supplies Sirius said he would need for school parchment, quills, a rather expensive potions kit, and a host of other miscellaneous items Sirius assured him would be necessary. Though why Padfoot thought he’d need a pair of footstep silencing socks he had no idea. 

Finally on what would be their last day in the alley before going to “storm the beaches of our family home” as Sirius put it they headed to Ollivanders Wands. “See it's like this Pup” Padfoot had explained of supper the night before “That wand you got from the family vault isn’t linked to your magic signature according to Ministry records—” he paused to take a chunk out of his stake “on top of that its so old that it’s own signature won't be in their records either so you can use it to cast outside of school without them ever knowing but because of all this you need a regular wand to use at school so they can see your using magic while there like a normal student—” now he paused to take a long swig of cider “— and finally because of your wands ‘eccentricities’ it wouldn’t hurt to have a normal Ollivander's wand as a decoy plus a backup wand is always a good idea.”

So for all these excellent reasons Aries found himself standing in the center of Ollivander’s shop alone while Padfoot browsed through a collection of wand holsters and Mr. Ollivander handed him wand after wand… after wand. It felt like he’d handled every wand in the shop— an impressive claim seeing as there were hundreds if not thousands present— before the crazed wandmaker froze halfway down a shelf.

“No— but maybe…” Ollivander muttered as he lifted a dusty box from the back of a bottom shelf and brought it to the counter. 

As soon as Ollivander revealed it Aries knew this wand would like him, and sure enough, as he picked it up he felt the same warmth rush through him he had when he picked up the Ebony wand. Even if it was not quite as overwhelming as it had been with the Ebony, he still felt a strong enough connection to the wand that he knew they were a good fit.

“Curious— curious” Ollivander muttered as he took the wand from Aries and began boxing and bagging it.  

When it became apparent the madman wouldn’t continue on his own Aries raised an eyebrow and asked “Sorry but what's curious?”

“It is curious Mr. Black because I never thought this wand would find a match— holly and phoenix feather is an unusual and unstable combination each ask much of their wizard and few have the strength to answer.” Replied the old man as he handed Aries the holly wand now returned to its box and tucked into a long satin bag.

“Found what you need pup?” Sirius asked, appearing at his shoulder.

“Yeah Padfoot all set.”

“Still nineteen gallions?” Asked the elder Black as he opened his coin pouch and began counting out the gold.

“Oh yes…” Ollivander replied, still curiously examining the strange boy who had matched with the brother of He Who Must Not Be Named’s wand.

Aries was glad to escape the dusty and slightly insane atmosphere of Ollivander’s, and honestly excited for their next and final stop. For once Aries had wholeheartedly agreed with one of Padfoot’s ‘extraneous expenses’, finding a familiar was not necessary but it would be nice to have a companion while separated from Padfoot for most of the year.   

So once Aries had a ‘normal’ wand they headed to the Magical Menagerie, even a dozen meters away they could hear the cacophony of squeaking, barking, roaring, yowling, and screeching from the shop. It was a loud but not entirely unpleasant shop, filled with cages and takes of every shape and size housing creatures Aries hand half thought were just stories made up by Sirius, Bella, and Augustus.   

The moment Aries stepped over the threshold he began feeling a startling feeling of annoyance, exasperation, and anguished hopelessness coming from the back of the shop. Without pausing or warning Padfoot he headed for its source, Aries knew that feeling he had felt it every day while trapped in Azkaban. Something in the Menagerie didn’t want to be there, and it was aware enough to dream of freedom.   

Stepping out from a row of cages Aries found the back wall of the menagerie was taken up by dozens of tanks which held all manner of reptiles and amphibians both magical and mundane. His attention though was locked solely on a tank to the far left in a shadowy corner. Unlike the others, this tanks glass was foggy for lack of cleaning to the point he could only just make out a pair of undeniably intelligent sapphire eyes looking back at him.  The tank’s faded label read: **[Maledictus— form: Chinese Storm Serpent— MoM classification: XXXX].**

Reaching out with his mind Aries let his mouth relax and spoke in the language of serpents, the language that came to him so much more naturally than English. _“Can you hear me in there?”_

For a moment he thought the maledictus couldn’t understand Parseltongue, or perhaps it couldn’t hear him through the tank but eventually, he heard an incredulous and almost reverent reply: _“Can I hear you? Yes yes, thousand times yes but can you understand me?”_

_“Of course I can”_ Aries replied, smiling _“I speak in the tongue of all serpents and serpent-kin— why do they not clean your tank like the others?”_

He felt more than heard the angry hissing growl that replied to his question before the meledictus replied in words _“These stupid wizards fear me— they fear they will catch to blood curse that forced me into this form.”_

Scowling Aries tried to remember everything Augustus had taught him about Maledictuses. They were the result of an ancient blood curse that had spread down through bloodlines all over the world over the past thousand years. Anyone infected was doomed to be forced to take the form of a beast when they slept until eventually they were human no longer and only the beast remained. He’d mentioned nothing about the curse passing from person to person, only from parent to child.

Shaking himself at the _“stupidity of wizards”_ as Aunty Bella called it he returned his attention to the sapphire eyes _“I cannot turn you back as that power is not mine— but I need a familiar and would be honored if you agreed to ally yourself with me.”_

The eyes blinked, _“I am not some simple serpent or mindless pet little wizard.”_

Whereas before the maledictus’ words had been full of hope now the snapped with annoyance and pried. She had spent far too long being treated as a beast and would not stand to be treated as such for another minute by anyone who knew better.

Nodding in agreement Aries replied, _“In that case my name is Aries Black may I have the honor of your name?”_

_“I was called Mazu before I lost my human form— I would like to have that name again”_ Replied the sapphire eyes, her voice growing full of wistful sorrow once again.

Smiling at her answer Aries didn’t hesitate to reach out and push the lid off the tank. Instantly a buzzing warning went off throughout the menagerie. In the back of his mind, Aries heard the pounding of running feat, but his attention was locked onto the creature that sprang out of the tank and coiled around a nearby shelf.

The tank plack may have called her a ‘storm serpent’ but Mazu was unlike any other serpent Aries had ever seen, and he had seen many as they creatures seemed drawn to the atmosphere of Azkaban. Granted her body was that of a serpent but she had the face of a dragon and four legs that ended in a four taloned foot. Soft bronze feathers adorned her neck and tail that bristled one moment, then seemed to relax and waft in a nonexistent breeze.

_“You let me out?”_ It was both statement and question.

_“As I said— I would like you to be my familiar and I yours”_ he replied, hoping beyond hope this startlingly beautiful creature would accept him. 

_“Hmm… yes, I like the idea of having a familiar— I am so very bored with being alone.”_ Mazu said after she glanced toward the sound of nearing feat, then she sprang forward.

Mazu was a meter long and as big around as Aries' wrist so she had no problem in wrapping herself across his shoulders like a scally shawl. _“I have decided it is good to meet you, Aries Black— you are my familiar now.”_ And with that she sank her talons into his robe, both to punctuate her point and secure herself as two shop attendants hurried into sight with Sirius close on their heels.

The next half hour was a blur of activity and arguments as it turned out, to both Mazu’s and Aries’ amusement, that Mazu was a class XXXX dangerous beast and would, therefore, require a ministry issued permit to own. After a drawn-out argument about the nature of MoM creature classifications, Sirius finally flashed his House Black Lordship ring, which apparently gave him the right to own any kind of creature he liked as long as it was under control. In the end the shopkeepers had to bow to the ‘irate beast lord’ as Mazu called him and allow them to purchase her, though they demanded an insane price which led to another ten minutes of haggling that only ended when Mazu puffed up her neck feathers and let out a rumbling hiss that revealed a frankly alarming number of long teeth that looked a lot like steel to Aries.

  
  
  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry, this chapter is a wee bit shorter than I'd like but its what the muse left me with.
> 
> I wanted to mention that while I have a rough idea of where this story is going I am mostly free writing/writing as it comes to me so that's why this rough draft is... well such a rough draft. 
> 
> Please leave a comment and let me know what you think, like many other writers of fanfiction I do it partly as a nervous tick (once I get a story idea I have to write it or it won't leave me alone) but mostly for the attention... so yes give me attention... please...


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